A tear begins to run down the cheek of Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., as he delivers his remarks before the House Judiciary Committee hearing at the Capitol in Washington examining the abortion practices of Planned Parenthood, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015. Today’s hearing is Congress’ first since the Center for Medical Progress, a small group of anti-abortion activists, began releasing videos in July showing Planned Parenthood officials casually describing how they sometimes obtain tissue from aborted fetuses for medical researchers. Backed by analysts it hired, Planned Parenthood has said the videos were dishonestly edited to distort its officials’ remarks and has denied any wrongdoing.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
Arizona Republican Trent Franks is resigning from Congress, CBS News confirms.
Franks told reporters he would release a statement explaining his decision to step down. Roll Call first reported that Franks was expected to resign.
The eight-term Republican considers himself a conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee and Judiciary Committee. He’s also a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee.
His resignation comes on the same day that Sen. Al Franken announced he would soon resign from the Senate, after the majority of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate urged him to step aside. Multiple women accused Franken of inappropriately touching them or attempting to kiss them.
Franks had also been mulling a run for Sen. Jeff Flake’s seat in 2018 after Flake announced he would not seek re-election.
CBS News’ Catherine Reynolds contributed to this report.
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